You don’t need to be an expert to manage your money well.

Since you're here, you're already halfway there—and you can get all the way there without stress or guilt (seriously).

Half Banked is a personal finance blog for millennials who want to manage their money and still have a life.

My name is Desirae Odjick, and I’m on a mission: help you use your money to live the life you want, because yes, it’s totally possible.

If you’ve ever felt like you have no idea where your money has gone at the end of the month, or been so overwhelmed by financial jargon that you were like nope, better not even look into this stuff? Friend, you are so in the right place.

I know, because I’ve lived it.

I’ve gone from a close-to-broke new grad who literally cried over money on a semi-frequent basis to a home owner, a confident investor, a savvy spender, an emergency-fund-haver, and I only gave up lattes for like two months before realizing I really didn’t need to do it in the first place. And while there’s definitely detailed strategies involved, at a high level, it’s really about four key things.

If no more money guilt or stress sounds like something you can get behind, you’re in the right place, and I am so glad we connected. Let’s dive in to how you can get to that “Everything is going to be OK, and maybe even awesome” moment, shall we?

Spend well.

“Um, isn’t this a personal finance website? Isn’t spending bad?” Not on your life. Spending money is a key part of managing your money well, and I don’t mean in the don’t-spend-it way. Figuring out how you’re currently spending your cash, and whether it’s making you happy, is the best first step you can take to getting great with your money.

Save money.

Saving is the key to all the big, fun, exciting things you want to do, whether it’s buy a house, get a dog, take a big vacation… I could list these all day. And sure, it’s not the easiest thing to do, but there are strategies you can use to get started no matter where you’re at—and future you will be so happy you did.

Make a budget.

Once you’ve got a handle on your spending and saving, this is the easy part—and budgeting doesn’t mean depriving yourself of anything. It’s just a way to figure out how you’re going to use the money you have to live the life you want, usually on a monthly basis. See? Not so bad!

Invest your money.

This is a non-negotiable, pals, even if you’re convinced investing is too hard, or that you don’t have enough money. Investing your money is the best way to build wealth and retire a rich human, and there are totally approachable options available that you can start with as little as $50 these days.